The present invention relates to a device and method for measuring life of systems/parts, and, in particular, to a lifeometer that accounts for internal and/or external parameters and/or operating history and respectively determines and measures life usage and remaining life of systems/parts.
Many devices have various systems, components, and/or parts that operate over estimated life expectancies. These systems or parts are frequently related to thermodynamic systems, fluid mechanic systems, thermo-mechanical systems, or any other system/part with fluctuating or varying mechanical or external parameters. One common example are the various components, or parts, of an engine or a power plant. Many of these parts experience varying parameters, such as pressures and/or temperatures. The variations in these parameters affect the life span, or total amount of time that the part is safe and useful.
Gauges and meters monitor various operating parameters, levels, and conditions. For example, there are a variety of gauges or meters that monitor oil levels, temperature levels, vehicle speed, engine speed or revolutions per minute (RPM), or loads of an engine or power plant. The Systems and parts typically have generally set or fixed life expectancies or predetermined effective usage life or time that are typically determined and calculated based on engineering or laboratory operational tests. This is called the life expectance, lifetime, or life span of the component or part.
Systems and parts, of course, operate under varying conditions based on both internal parameters and external parameters, which affect the life expectancies of the systems/parts. Examples of internal parameters that affect life expectancies of systems/parts include, but are not limited to, operating temperature, operating loads/weights, operating time, operating speed, travel distances, and operating pressure. Examples of external parameters that affect life expectancies of systems/parts include, but are not limited to, wind, temperature (both internal and external), particulate levels, contaminant levels, pressure (both internal and external), and moisture levels. The operating history of these parameters on the components or parts also affects life expectancies of the systems/parts.
Typically, systems or components need to be disassembled or torn apart in order to determine level of wear and tear on the subsystems or parts. Meters, gauges, or indicator displays for showing life used and/or remaining life of systems/parts generally do not exist; or if they exist are purely linear with time. Since internal parameters, external parameters, and/or operating history have to be taken into account for measuring life used and remaining life, meters, gauges, or indicator displays have to be very complicated or complex in order to be accurate. Many of the parameters, such as factors related to thermodynamic systems, fluid mechanic systems, thermo-mechanical systems, affect life expectancies and are difficult to determine, calculate, or estimate. Moreover it is extremely difficult to determine the inter-relationships between the various parameters. However, meters or gauges or displays, which quantify and provide current and more accurate estimates to an operator, monitoring person, or user when service to or replacement of the system/part may be necessary, would be extremely useful.
Therefore, there exists a need or demand for the development of a meter or gauge or indicator display or other such system or method for determining, estimating, and calculating accurate and current information related to life used and/or remaining life of a system/part. A further need exists to develop algorithms and implement expert system(s) for determining, estimating, and calculating such accurate and current information. The present invention discloses and provides a lifeometer apparatus and method for measuring and displaying life of systems/parts, and the present invention overcomes the problems, disadvantages, and limitations of the prior art.
Set forth is a brief summary of the invention in order to solve the foregoing problems and achieve the foregoing and other objects, benefits, and advantages in accordance with the purposes of the present invention as embodied and broadly described herein.
It is an object of the invention to provide a meter or gauge or indicator display for determining and displaying life of systems/parts.
It is another object of the invention to provide a lifeometer for determining and displaying estimated current information related to such life of the systems/parts.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a lifeometer that determines and displays life usage of the systems/parts.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a lifeometer that determines and displays life remaining of the systems/parts.
It is another object of the invention to account for operating parameters in determining life of the systems/parts.
It is a further object of the invention to account for internal operating parameters including, but not limited to, operating temperature, operating loads/weights, operating time, operating speed or distances, and operating pressure in determining current life of the systems/parts.
It is a still further object of the invention to account for external operating parameters including, but not limited to, wind, external/outside temperatures, particulate levels, external pressures, and moisture levels in determining current life of the systems/parts.
It is another object of the invention to account for operating history in determining current life of the systems/parts.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a meter or gauge or display that would be extremely useful in quantifying and providing current and more accurate estimates to an operator, monitoring person, or user when service to or replacement of the system/part may be necessary.
It is a further object of the invention to provide algorithms and implement expert system(s) for determining, estimating, and calculating accurate and current information related to life of the systems/parts.
The objects and advantages are achieved by a general operation algorithm of a lifeometer. Optimal base reference life expectancy for the system/part being measured is provided. The lifeometer apparatus monitors and tracks/records internal operational parameters, environmental or external operational parameters or outside conditions at or near the system/part, and/or operating history of the system/part. The lifeometer determines whether remaining life is at a level where the system/part needs service or replacement. If the remaining life is not at such a level, the lifeometer continues to monitor and track/record various operational parameters and display remaining life and/or used life. If the remaining life is at such a level of service or replacement, then the lifeometer determines whether the system/part is to, in fact, be serviced or replaced. If the system/part is to be serviced or replaced, then the system/part is serviced or replaced, and the lifeometer resets remaining life level and/or used life level to appropriate values for the serviced or replaced system/part. The lifeometer then monitors and tracks/records various operational parameters and displays respective remaining life and/or used life. However, if the system/part is not to be serviced or replaced, then the lifeometer terminates monitoring operations.
The objects and advantages are further achieved by a lifeometer. The lifeometer is generally consisted of a system/part monitor, a computer system with a database, a display system, and an environmental/outside conditions monitor. The system/part monitor is coupled to or near each of the systems/parts. The system/part monitor monitors and takes measurements/readings related to internal operational parameters from each of the systems/parts. Furthermore, the environmental/outside conditions monitor obtains measurements or readings related to external operational parameters from the environment/outside conditions of the respective system/part. Optimal base reference life expectancy information and operating history are stored into a database of the computer system.
The objects and advantages are further achieved by performance and execution of various algorithms. The lifeometer uses the internal operational parameters, the external operational parameters, and/or the operating history information for determining present rate of usage for a system/part under a set of generally unchanged current conditions, and the lifeometer also tracks and records the amount of time operated under the set of generally unchanged current conditions. The lifeometer uses the rate of usage and amount of time operated to calculate present usage, and the lifeometer uses the present usage, the operating history, and the life expectancy information to determine and calculate used life and/or life remaining. The used life and/or life remaining is displayed on a display system of the lifeometer.
The objects and advantages are also achieved by various algorithms or mathematical formulas/models/equations that may be implemented for factoring the internal operating parameters, the external operating parameters, and the operating history to determine the current rate of usage of the systems/parts. Mathematical formulas and equations for weighting and factoring in the internal operating parameters, the external operating parameters, and the operating history for determining rate of usage of the system/part are used with the present invention.
The objects and advantages are further achieved by a digital display and/or an analog display and/or an indicator level display for the present invention lifeometer.
The preferred embodiments of the inventions are described below in the Figures and Detailed Description. Unless specifically noted, it is intended that the words and phrases in the specification and claims be given the ordinary and accustomed meaning to those of ordinary skill in the applicable art or arts. If any other meaning is intended, the specification will specifically state that a special meaning is being applied to a word or phrase. Likewise, the use of the words xe2x80x9cfunctionxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cmeansxe2x80x9d in the Detailed Description is not intended to indicate a desire to invoke the special provisions of 35 U.S.C. Section 112, paragraph 6 to define the invention. To the contrary, if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Section 112, paragraph 6, are sought to be invoked to define the inventions, the claims will specifically state the phrases xe2x80x9cmeans forxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cstep forxe2x80x9d and a function, without also reciting in such phrases any structure, material, or act in support of the function. Even when the claims recite a xe2x80x9cmeans forxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cstep forxe2x80x9d performing a function, if they also recite any structure, material or acts in support of that means of step, then the intention is not to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Section 112, paragraph 6. Moreover, even if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Section 112, paragraph 6, are invoked to define the inventions, it is intended that the inventions not be limited only to the specific structure, material or acts that are described in the preferred embodiments, but in addition, include any and all structures, materials or acts that perform the claimed function, along with any and all known or later-developed equivalent structures, materials or acts for performing the claimed function.